


At The Ball

by alphabetray



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Beau is a lesbian, Caleb/beau is mentioned, F/F, Fluff, Implied homophobia, MeetCute, as an arranged thibg, author does not ship, author has little knowledge of the regency era, regency au, soft girls, speedwrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 14:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19725634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphabetray/pseuds/alphabetray
Summary: Beau was expecting a dull night dancing with her intended. Little did she expect to be swept off her feet by one Jester Lavorre.





	At The Ball

The fiddle rang out through the streets of Zadash. It wove its way through the smell of cheep beer and clang of horse hooves, darting through the night. All the way to the unwitting ears of one Beauregard Lionett, dress held up around her knees as she clung to the shadows. Her parents would be looking for her soon enough and she’d have to go and pretend to be interested in Caleb while he pretended to be interested in her. She could almost hear her mother’s furious whispers - ‘ Mr Ermendrud as strong a match as you could hope for, a member of the Soltrice Academy and though he may be of unfortunate birth, they say he’ll make archmage someday!’. Gods, there was nothing she wanted less.

‘Beauregard!’ came the call. ‘Come here at once, we’re going to be late! Oh!’

Scowling, she made her way back to the house.

‘There you are. What on earth is your hair? Well it can’t be helped now, I suppose. Just, just say it’s the fashion in Kamordah. Though why you had to shave it like that, I’ll never understand. Mr Lionett? Mr Lionett, where are you?’ Her mother barely paused for breath, poking at Beau and fiddling with her clothes.

Her father’s footfalls rang on the steps as her mother began pushing her towards the door. The ball awaited.

The carriage bumped along the cobbled streets. Beau stared out of the window and tried to tune out her parents’ squabbling as they debated matches in what any of their neighbors here in Zadash would consider a wholly undignified manner. She wished they were all watching so her parents would just shut up.

They pulled up outside the hall being rented by the Soltryce Academy for the night. Carriages were parked willy-nilly in the street outside and by the sounds of things, the ball was well underway.

They stepped out and entered the warm hall, handing over their travel cloaks and taking their bearings. Astrid was lounging in the corner, holding a champagne flute. She took her leave of her parents and made her way over to the older girl, snagging her own drink on the way.

‘Anything interesting?’ she asked.

Astrid laughed, deep and throaty and easy. Last ball they’d made out behind the building. Beau wondered if that was on the table again. ‘There’s a - ah - Miss Lavorre in attendance. Well, two technically. You see those two tieflings over there?’

Beau glanced in the direction Astrid had gestured. A younger looking blue tiefling who looked someone uncomfortable with the glances everyone was shooting their gaggle, and a purple tiefling who seemed to rather be enjoying the attention. 

‘The young lady, she’s, well according to my sources she’s,’ Astrid laughed again. ‘Well, lets say Headmaster Hass has been enjoying her acquaintance. I hear it comes at quite a price.’

‘He invited her here?’ Beau said, keeping the shock out of her voice as best as possible.

Astrid chuckled. ‘He wants to marry her. I hear she’s not so keen. I thought she was older, perhaps a tad better put together but who knows what’s under the dress. Anyway, what’s this I hear about you and our dear Bren.’

‘It’s nothing.’ Beau couldn’t take her eyes away from the tieflings. ‘I mean - you know where my preferences lie and he’s, he’s a friend.’

‘You’ve got to marry someone, my dear. But if you insist on staring moony eyed at, well, her ilk then I fear you’ll struggle to find anyone let alone a future archmage.’ Astrid snagged her unfinished drink from between her fingers and sauntered away. Beau found herself all of a sudden completely alone.

She danced after that, with Caleb then with Fjord. All the while her mind was on the two tieflings who no one seemed willing to touch let alone dance with. After finishing her slow waltz with Fjord she excused herself and made her way over to their corner of the room in the hope that someone would make the introduction. It came in a wholly unexpected manner.

‘Hi!’ A blue, ringed hand was thrust rather unceremoniously in her direction. She shook it out of slightly panicked instinct. ‘I’m Jester and this is Molly. What is your name?’

The accent was not recognizably from the empire but she couldn’t place it. ‘I’m uh - I’m Beau. Beauregard Lavorre.’

Wait shit.

‘Your name is Lavorre? That’s so weird my name is Lavorre too. I can’t believe that I found someone with my name the odds of that are probably suuuper small, Molly don’t you agree that’s super weird.’

Molly looked pityingly amused. She felt the urge to punch him and then herself. She instead smiled awkwardly.

‘Wow yeah that’s a really weird coincidence. Hah hah. What are the odds.’

‘So do you live around here? We weren’t technically invited, my mama was but she couldn’t come cause she was busy she’s the Ruby of the Sea did you know so I said I’d go and tell Mr Hass that she couldn’t make it but I haven’t seen him all evening and we’ve been here for hours and I’m getting super bored and -‘

‘Jester, give her a chance to speak,’ interjected Molly. 

‘I - ah - yes, I’m from a place called Kamordah but we’re in town for the season so -‘

‘Oh that’s a really pretty place name. You have a really pretty name. Do you want to dance?’

‘I - I mean, sure?’

Jester grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Within minutes, it was clear that she had no idea what she was doing and was just holding Beau’s hands and jiggling around to the beat. The couples split around them and crashed into each other, confused by the odd non participants. She could almost feel  
her parents glaring at her back but honestly this was the most fun she’d had at a ball all season.

‘Do you want to know a secret?’ asked Jester, violet eyes glinting in the firelight.

‘Sure,’ said Beau.

‘I can technically do all these dances but it’s so funny when everyone freaks out cause you’re doing your own thing. It’s kinda hilarious and they all start crashing into each other and panicking and stuff.’

‘Yeah, I think we’re about to get chased away by angry couples.’ Sure enough, a good handful of young gentlemen did seem to be gearing up for a fight.

‘Ooops. So do you know a way out of here?’

‘C’mon.’

Beau pulled her through the crowd by her hand, heading down a corridor into the servants’ quarters. They raced through the kitchen and out the deliveries door into the night.

‘Okay okay are we good now?’ Jester said, laughing and trying to catch her breath.

‘Yeah I think we lost them.’

Jester kissed her suddenly, teeth and noses clashing together, before suddenly recoiling.

‘I’m sorry that probably- I shouldn’t have done that I just thought - sorry,’ she babbled.

Beau put her finger to Jester’s lips. ‘It’s OK. Do you, ah, do you want to try that again?’

Jester nodded frantically and Beau laughed, more carefully kissing Jester.

‘Beauregard Lionett!’ she heard her mother scream. ‘What on earth do you think you are doing?’

‘I thought your name was Lavorre,’ said Jester, staring at her in confusion.

‘Yeah,’ said Beau. ‘I panicked. We should probably run.’

Jester took her hand. ‘Care to take a walk, Miss Lionett? Did I get that right?’

Beau winked at her. ‘There’s nothing I’d enjoy more, Miss Lavorre.’

They legged it as fast as their legs could carry them.

**Author's Note:**

> This was part of a one hour Beaujester challenge and as such is not very good but have some girls. Follow beaujesterweek on twitter and tumblr for more content. Also follow the-brightqueen on tumblr and alphabetray on twitter for more me.


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